I had problems getting DBAN to start from a CD - I kept getting a "DBAN Finished With Non-Fatal Errors" immediately after starting the actual wipe (a common problem according to reviews on other websites), which may be related to having unneeded devices connected to your computer, though I had removed all such devices).
However, even if I had gotten it to work, another problem with the program REALLY worries me:
The first time I ran DBAN, the drive I was trying to erase (an external box with an eSATA connector) appeared 2nd on the list (the 1st one was my internal laptop drive). After I rebooted (and changed absolutely nothing), the order of the two drives on the screen were switched (my internal drive appeared 2nd). Had I not been paying attention, I could have easily started wiping my laptop's internal drive by mistake. When I discovered this switch, I decided to stop even trying to use the program.
Yes I know you're supposed to be careful with such tools (and fortunately, I was), but if DBAN can't keep track of which drive is 0 and which is 1, and display them in a consistent and logical order, then I'm not comfortable trusting the program not to 'accidentally' wipe the wrong drive with my data. If I were trying to wipe many drives and could set up a machine disconnected from all HDDs except the one I'm wanting to wipe, then maybe I'd try to use it.
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Recommend to a friend? No

Posted Dec 26, 2011 for v2.26 beta

It is just great by sam420
Jan 07, 2010

It is really good if you want to wipe the hard drive. It cleans the hard drive securely. It takes a long time, but hey it is free.
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Recommend to a friend? Yes

Posted Jan 07, 2010 for v1.07

Dban has gone corporate - eban or bust by WallyG
May 05, 2009

I used to be a great fan of DBAN. Great tool to ensure data on old drives securely erased. Due to the great features in DBAN, our company purchased Enterprise Boot and Nuke (EBAN) for all of our company's secure wiping needs.
Alas, DBAN support for newer controllers is tragic. I tried to wipe my home computer (Dell Vostro 220) with DBAN and no luck. I took my computer to work, booted with our EBAN CD and the wipe proceeded no problem. No BIOS changes, no drivers, no BS.
I guess since DBAN has now gained so much popularity, time to cripple DBAN and push EBAN.
SHAME!
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Recommend to a friend? Maybe

Posted May 05, 2009 for v1.0.7

Kudos ... by Not_Robbed
Oct 28, 2008

Kudos to this guy. Brilliant stuff. Worked as advertised, and had all the features (DOD, Gutmann, etc) of apps like killdisk ... beautifuly put together ... even simple for a nuffy like me.
Thanks!
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Yep, this will do what you need without hassle. I have used it many times and never had an issue. Have used CD .iso image, and Floppy, both worked great for me but it depends on the system, some will run from the Floppy better so at least you have a choice. Either way, it gets the job done. Hats off to this one!
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Recommend to a friend? Yes

Posted Sep 12, 2008 for v1.0.7

Great program by Doug39b
Aug 05, 2007

This program wipes everything. Very nice.
And the .iso is the easiest route. Download the file, use Nero or Roxio or whatever to burn the image to CD, then simply put the CD into the computer that has the HDD you want to wipe and reboot. Follow the screen prompts to run the program. The only way that can be made difficult is if the user doesn't know how to use his system effectively. And if that's the case, the user has no business even considering wiping anybod`s hard drive.
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My suggestion is if you have a floppy drive to just download the floppy version because getting it to work on a CD is a pain. To download it to a floppy press the download button but cancel the download once it starts then click the hyperlink help is available at "this site". Then select "download floppy version". If you must use a CD you must first download it to your computer; I recommend saving the file. Once you've done this you must unzip the program then cut the .iso file and paste it in a different spot. Then using Nero or some other CD burning software select burn an "Image CD"! Not a data CD. It will not work unless you do this. Then when when you are asked to add files to Nero select the .iso file and burn. Once you have done this there should be more than one file on the disk. After the program is on the disk it is a cinch to use.
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Recommend to a friend? Yes

Posted Jan 27, 2007 for v1.0.7

Simple and it works by TxVics
Mar 03, 2006

Great software, easy to use. If only I could edit it to loop a few beeps at the end of the install so I don't have to have monitors connected when doing mass wipes, this would be the perfect software!
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Recommend to a friend? Yes

Posted Mar 03, 2006 for v1.0.5

Dban is the only tool that wipes 100% by cyber-forensics
Oct 06, 2005

This is the only tool that has been tested and forensically wipes an entire hard drive 100%! Everything on the drive will be wiped, doesn't matter what OS or File system. Do not be fooled by marketing hype. Commercial tools are a waste of money as they do not all work. Best yet it is free under the GPL. Darik should receive a medal from the forensic community for his work and continues support on this tool as well.
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DBAN is a must have program...I was about to trash
an 80gig Seagate EIDE hard drive because I could not
remove Linspire 5.0...it was dug into that hard drive
like a friggin tick! I typed "hard drive eraser"
into Google, eventually found DBAN and that it
can be place on a 3.5" floppy...once it placed on
a floppy just type "autonuke" return....SWEET!
I have found that Linux-Linspire 5.0 is designed
to act more like a virus than a O/S, Linspire is
the control freak of the linux world and I
give it a grade of "F". DBAN is perfect, no
more stupid DOS commands to format hard drives.
Download it you'll love it. Now I can start testing
all those linux distributions, if one wont remove...
just format it with DBAN.
....big thanks to the author for making DBAN
free!
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